legislators never funded the law. they said that supervisors in each of california's 58 counties had to implement and pay for it. only one county, nevada county, where laura lived, has opted in. it sits in the foothills of the sierra nevada mountain and has fewer than 100,000 residents. >> this is a tool that's been missing forever from our mental health providing statutes. >> reporter: at the nevada county courthouse, presiding judge thomas anderson says the law has been effective in getting people into treatment and in avoiding time-consuming court hearings. >> it's saving tons of time getting people into treatment when they need it and the results have been very, very good. in the first couple years we saved a half a million dollars. in our small county. which is a huge factor. >> reporter: but forcing the mentally ill into treatment remains a point of contention. many patients resent being ordered to receive treatment. 36-year-old jonathan morer is here at turning point community programs in nevada city for a long